Process for producing a component constituting an interconnector of an HTE electrolyser or of an SOFC fuel cell

Abstract

A process for preparing a component, which may constitute an interconnector for a fuel cell (SOFC) or a high-temperature electrolyser (HTE), may include: (a) preparing a substrate made of metal alloy, the base element of which is iron (Fe) or nickel (Ni), the substrate having two main flat faces; (b) tape casting a thick ceramic layer; (c) localized removal at one or more locations, of material of the tape-cast thick ceramic layer; (d) hot pressing the green thick ceramic layer tape; and (e) grooving the thick ceramic layer so as to delimit channels that are suitable for distributing and/or collecting gases. A component may be obtained from such a process.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for preparing a component, the process comprising:
 preparing a substrate made of metal alloy of chromia-forming type, a base element of which being iron or nickel, the substrate having two main flat faces; 
 tape casting a thick ceramic layer, thereby producing a tape-cast thick ceramic layer; 
 locally removing at one or more locations of material of the tape-cast thick ceramic layer; 
 hot pressing a green thick ceramic layer tape; and 
 grooving the thick ceramic layer so as to delimit channels that are suitable for distributing and/or collecting gases, 
 wherein the locally removing is carried out before the hot pressing. 
 
     
     
       2. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the locally removing is carried out by laser ablation. 
     
     
       3. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the locally removing is carried out by a CO 2  laser. 
     
     
       4. The process of  claim 1 , wherein removed material zones forms holes, and
 wherein each hole has a surface area in a range of 10 −9  to 10 mm 2 . 
 
     
     
       5. The process of  claim 1 , wherein removed material zones are uniformly distributed on a surface of the thick ceramic layer. 
     
     
       6. The process of  claim 1 , wherein removed material zones each have a cylinder shape opening onto the substrate made of the metal alloy. 
     
     
       7. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the grooving is carried out by laser ablation before carrying out the hot-pressing. 
     
     
       8. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the hot pressing is carried out at a temperature in a range of from 60 to 130° C. 
     
     
       9. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the hot pressing is carried out for less than 2 h. 
     
     
       10. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the material of the thick ceramic layer is
 a lanthanum manganite of formula La 1−x Sr x MO 3  with M comprising Ni, Fe, Co, Mn, and/or Cr, 
 a lamellar structure material, or 
 another electrically conductive perovskite oxide. 
 
     
     
       11. The process of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the thick ceramic layer is in a range of from 30 to 800 μm. 
     
     
       12. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the lamellar structure material is present and comprises a lanthanide nickelate of formula Ln 2 NiO 4 , with Ln being La, Nd, and/or Pr. 
     
     
       13. A method of making a fuel cell, the method comprising:
 carrying out the method of  claim 1  to form the component; and 
 forming the fuel cell using the component as an interconnector. 
 
     
     
       14. A method of making a high-temperature electrolyzer, the method comprising:
 carrying out the method of  claim 1  to form the component; and 
 forming the high-temperature electrolyzer using the component as an interconnector. 
 
     
     
       15. The process of  claim 1 , wherein removed material zones forms holes,
 wherein each hole has a surface area in a range of from 10 −9  to 10 mm 2 , and 
 wherein the holes are present in a range of from 0.01 to 1000 per cm. 
 
     
     
       16. A process for preparing a component, the process comprising:
 preparing a substrate made of metal alloy of chromia-forming type, a base element of which being iron or nickel, the substrate having two main flat faces; 
 tape casting a thick ceramic layer, thereby producing a tape-cast thick ceramic layer; 
 locally removing at one or more locations of material of the tape-cast thick ceramic layer; 
 hot pressing a green thick ceramic layer tape; and 
 grooving the thick ceramic layer so as to delimit channels that are suitable for distributing and/or collecting gases, 
 wherein removed material zones forms holes, and 
 wherein each hole has a surface area in a range of 10 −9  to 10 mm 2 . 
 
     
     
       17. The process of  claim 16 , wherein the locally removing is carried out by laser ablation. 
     
     
       18. The process of  claim 16 , wherein the locally removing is carried out by a CO 2  laser. 
     
     
       19. The process of  claim 16 , wherein the removed material zones are uniformly distributed on a surface of the thick ceramic layer. 
     
     
       20. The process of  claim 16 , wherein the removed material zones each have a cylinder shape opening onto the substrate made of the metal alloy.